Poor Man's Blues (08-24-28) - Bessie Smith

Mister Rich Man, Rich Man

Open up your heart and mind

Mister Rich Man, Rich Man

Open up your heart and mind

Give the poor man a chance

Help stop these hard, hard time

While you livin' in your mansion

You don’t know what hard time means

While you livin' in your mansion

You don’t know what hard time means

Oh, workin' man’s wife is starvin'

Your wife is livin' like a queen

Please, listen to my pleadin'

'Cause I can’t stand these hard time long

Oh, listen to my pleadin'

Can’t stand these hard time long

They’ll make an honest man do things

That you know is wrong

All man fought all the battles

All man would fight again today

All man fought all the battles

All man would fight again today

He would do anything you ask him

In the name of the U.S.A

Now the war is over

All man must live the same as you

Now the war is over

All man must live the same as you

If it wasn’t for the poor man

Mister Rich Man what would you do?